Spreading the joy of writing and reading

The Desire to Write

I would love to be an accomplished well known writer. I was thinking recently that for me this would be the life role I would create for myself if I were in charge of everything. At the same time, I’ve just recently finished reading through the book of Phillipians. Paul wrote to the Phillipians from prison facing the possibility of death. In the letter he speaks of others who seek to emulate his preaching from selfish motives. They see the commotion and growing following that are part of Paul’s life and they want that for themselves. It struck me how selective both my desires and the desires of those Paul “wannabe’s” are.

Paul is in prison for preaching the gospel and there are people who still are envious of his life. They perhaps had yet to hear the long list of Pauls struggles that he shares in 2 Corinthians.

“Five times at the hands of the Jews I received 40 lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I passed a night and a day on the deep; on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own race, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many sleepless nights, through hunger and thirst, through frequent fastings, through cold and exposure. And apart from these things, there is the daily pressure upon me of my anxiety for all the churches”

How many people do you think would volunteer for that kind of life ? Only love could prompt someone to endure these things so that others might know the goodness of God. It was Jesus love for us that pulled Him out of heaven into a human body to die and rise again to deal with once and for all the sins of the entire world.

The writers life is a solitary and challenging one. I don’t know what the ratio of imprisoned to free writers is. However, Paul has certainly not been the only person to pen powerful words for the cause of Christ from behind bars. It is not a prerequisite of good writing that it be done amidst imprisonment. Though I must say it is stirring and a great image of courage expressing itself in words.

The writers I have found who are willing to write on the subject of being “a writer” say that it is not the life defining moment it might appear to be from a distance. It’s hard to remember that even the most popular or successful people in the world can’t find fullfilment in their sucess. I am troubled to know the state of my own desires these days. Writing books and having people tell me how great I am still occupies a large protion of what I would call my “desire.” It’s also the people who get to do this that I find myself so jealous of. Still I find some encouragement when Paul says “God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey Him and the power to do what pleases Him.”

It’s not to say that writing is some inherently negative act but it can be a rival to more Christ centered acts. I wonder sometimes what God could accomplish with all the time I waste freting about how unsucessful I am at writing a book and comparing myself to accomplished writers whom I admire. When I hear Pauls words in Phillipians I feel as though God is working at my desires as if they were wet clay. I am reassured that as I seek Him I will learn to feel out the time to put the pen to paper for the masses and when to get my hands dirty.

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Blog Author: Elliot Crane

Welcome

Welcome to Dandelion Ink. I am a 29 year old student, teacher, reader and writer living in Lynchburg, Virginia. Here you will find stories, essays, and book reviews. You can also check out some graphic design work I've done in the past here and view my photography here.

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